


Pandora

by Draconismin



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pandora - Freeform, protective detectives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2019-11-07 07:57:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17956634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Draconismin/pseuds/Draconismin
Summary: The Pandora is a gem hidden inside a gem, can only be perceived under the moonlightHe spent months dedicated to find it, only to know why his father had given up on it eight years ago.





	1. Chapter 1

"I can tell you" The taunted voice said, amused in the sudden request "But what will you give in exchange?"

 

\--------------

Pandora could only be perceived under specific circumstances. It was a jewel concealed inside a large jewel that would glow red under the moonlight.

 

It made sense now. It made sense all along. He just couldn’t wrap his head around it to understand. Though, he couldn’t bring himself to understand it.

How every single time he hold a type of extravagant jewel in his hand, bought it under the moonlight only to see the gem shining there, transparent and bare with nothing to hide (except maybe signal chip, from time to time).

How a glimpse of the ruby color easily be passed as a trick of his eyes due to disappointment. At those time his mind was filled with the police officers’ relentlessness and even Snake to even notice, trying to escape their unforgiving grasp. He ran and hopped past all the obstacles, ignored the strain in his legs, the panted breath of his, sometimes the unbearable _injuries._ Because as nonviolent as he could be, he didn't expect that they would return the favor.

_It wasn’t possible.  
_

"Do you ever wonder why you are so lucky?"

Akako’s solemn words ran through his head when he stood in the empty room. The girl somehow had found out before him, warning him about the unexpectedness on their school's rooftop that particular morning, their peculiar meetup spot, a heavy atmosphere clouded her face.

"How you always make it out alive despite all the odds against you?"

He saw the truth now, bare and ugly. The distorted red reflected back to him.

 

“ _Pandora_?” He gazed into the mirror. Illuminated by the silver moonlight from the windows, his reflection gazed back at him, eyes widened in shock. **In recognition.**

His monocle laid on the floor, forgotten. As its owner's lilac eyes glued on the polished glass.

 

His right eye glowing red. Like a _gem just been uncovered  
_

 

He was....?

 

\------------------------------------------

_No no no no no_

Kuroba backed away from the mirror, as if its mere presence just punched him in the face.

It couldn't be.

It wasn't.. wasn't.. even possible.

He couldn't be Pandora. Pandora was a gem. A jewel. An old ancient gem that supposed to grant people's immortality.

He was 17 years old for God's sake. No myth sprouted from something came into being only 17 years ago. And he was certain he wasn't immortal. Being a phantom thief as the public claimed, for all it worth, he was just a human. He bleed, he suffered, like a human would.

Was this even logical anymore?

 

But then, he had survived, even the most ridiculous situations like Akako said. His memory flickered about how his wounds always recovered smoother and better than Jii-san's estimation. How there were snipers and detectives and a bloody shady organization followed his tails yet he could avoid them all. How his body had suffered from falling, from vigorous force in the form of footballs, from piercing glass, from gunshots, from explosion, and it would had no lasting physical effect on him. Considered Kaitou Kid required his agility and swiftness, the mere fact that his body could have a miraculous heal was a blessing to him.

Now it was like a slap in the face. Kaito stumbled back, his hands roamed around in panic to find something to hold on to. His thoughts were a mess as they processing the information and jumped between theories and thoughts in seconds. He flinched when his back come in contacted with the wall. Right. He needed- need to sit down- remain calm. Yeah. That sounded good.

It was in his right eye all along? In the heists it was always been hidden by his monocle. And there wasn't much time to ponder in the mirror all night. He wasn't a narcissist like Hakuba.

It was surreal. Too surreal to be true.

He was immortal? He wasn't immortal? How could he bloody prove that if the only way he could was killing himself? He wasn't _suicidal._

_Was he?_

No

_Yes?_

 -------------

In his seventeenth birthday, Kaito Kuroba accepted the fate of Kaitou Kid, thus the responsibility that undoubted it would bring. He hadn’t except it to go this far. He maintained two lives, and lied to the face of those he respected most. The more Kuroba distant himself from his friends, the brighter Kaitou Kid could perform in front of his audiences. He felt his mere existence became a façade of something that better off buried in the past. An empty shell.

He remembered Aoko’s crestfallen face countless time when her father so worked up against Kid, left her alone in her birthday to chase after a phantom thief, remembered Inspector Nakamori stood still, ignoring the whispers, the voices from the crowd or other departments questioned his team's competency. His heists started at night, stealing people’s time to be at home, to be near their family, with their children.

He remembered the hand grappling him, desperation to be saved visible in the man's eyes, only to be disappointed, because of _him_. He remembered the innocent child’s voice, how the little boy sobbed while hugging his motionless father. It gave him _Nightmare_ for nights.

No. He- he don't- he- No. It was wrong. It must be some kind of tricks. The stress must be getting to him. The chase, the exhaustion, the sleepless nights he pulled to prepare for the heists

He curled up, for once let himself be swallowed by the darkness. The mirror still bathed in the moonlight shining through the window. Its ugly reflection laid before his eyes.

Hollow. Blank. Darkness. Void.

 

 -----------------------

 

“You knew” He stated the following day, finding himself on the rooftop again. “How?”

A single question didn’t sufficient. But it would be a start.

“I got my way” Akako replied. Her eyes were reading him in a different way. Granted, they had been following him every time she was aware of the thief, but now less calculating, and more sympathy.

They stood in silence for awhile, before the witch sighed. 

“You have opened something you shouldn’t, _Pandora_ ”

Kuroba visibly flinched when she addressed the name out loud. Both of them knew there was no need to dance around the topic like they used to, at least this time. He tried to keep his emotions in check as he dreaded the confirmation.

"Why am I-" He struggled to said the word, refused to believe in the... truth "How can _that_ happened?"

 

"You're its vessel" She was quiet at first, then said "Right from your birth."

 

\---------------

 

“I have to keep going” He said, Akako's explanations were beyond his stretched imagination  “The heists. They cannot know”

If he stopped sending out notices all of a sudden, people would suspect. Snake would be suspicious that he already obtained the gem and they would hunt down the people around him. They knew his father, so if they made the connection..

And Inspector Nakamori. The man would be shocked to know Kid vanished again.. But he couldn't just inform him, if the organization had infiltrated the Task Force... The Inspector would be in danger.

"Kid.." The name seemed hesitant as it dropped from her lips, her wistful eyes glued on him, yet even she was unsure of her intention.

"Just you see. I'd destroy the gem" Kaito smiled, his confident Poker Face was back in place. Ending a conversation with a careless wave, he turned his back to Akako and going back to class

Cause he was the infamous Kaitou Kid. So he wouldn't let anything stop him from smashing Pandora into pieces

The question was.. how?

 

\----------------------

On the next week, the Task Force received the notice for the upcoming heist from Kid.

_"Pandora is, to put it in better word, ethereal magic."_

It was slightly different this time. How Kid seems deliberate to be more reckless. Even with his two detectives joined into the chase, the traps they encountered was still not up to the thief's standard. He must had distracted, both detectives noticed, since he took a wrong direction.

_"In normal circumstances, it won't interfere with its vessel's wish if its well-being isn't at stake"_

He jumped through the window, the glass shattering. As the others reached the door, the thief had disappeared.

 " _If it is, it won't only make the vessel immortal._ _It can manipulate the possibilities."_ _  
_

"Impossible. We're on the 8th floor!" The police cops gnawed in shock, before Inspector Nakamori shook his head

"You idiots. He just tricked us. Look"

An angry inspector pointed his finger up, and there was a small, while spot flying on the sky. With a determined roar, he commanded his team to have a grip and ran out to chase after the thief.

_"You had played a rigged game from the start, Pandora."_

 

Hakuba Saguru raised his eyebrow, his posture bend down to study the window. It was too narrow to allow Kid to open his glider. The police were chasing after a dummy, an effective distraction.

He looked back at the detective boy with the round glasses. And as their eyes met, he knew that they both reached the same conclusion.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

“If a witch cries, her magic will forever be lost“

 

* * *

 

"This is interesting" The demon laughed as the witch glared at him with irritation behind the hooded cloak "You exchanged one third of your power for Pandora's vessel information"

“My power is too vast for it to make any significance”

“No, it isn’t. Magic users value thei-“

“Enough!” Aoko slammed her hand down the wooden table, interrupting the demon "Tell me how to extract Pandora"

"Is the mortal worth the exchange?" The demon eyed her in amusement.

"It's none of your business"

Akako clenched her teeth, the summoning talisman crumbled under her hand. The hidden uncertainty threatened to break out again when her mind desperately looked for the answer. Did Kuroba worth the price that she agreed to pay? Why did she help the thief in the first place? He was just a flamboyant thief who was too blinded to see her beauty.

He was immune to her charm. She had been riled up to no end because of that, no one had ever able to resist her allure. Albeit it was inevitable if Kuroba possessed Pandora all along to protect himself from her grasp. Now he just didn't seem that much special anymore in her eyes. Those who imitated magic through fraud illusion and called themselves magician deserved to be received nothing but scorn.

And maybe.. just maybe, Pandora spell had its qualm on her also. Magic called out for magic. That explained her hitched breath every time she caught sight of Kuroba smiling or Kid's signature white-toothed grin under the moonlight. _Never for her._

But Pandora was powerful. If she had it...

"Pandora for certain isn't eternal. Nothing can live forever." She declared with confident as her eyebrows raised. The first lesson that every sorcerer had to learn imprinted deep in her mind. Immortality was nothing but a stretch of illusion that mortals fabricated. Magical beings had a prolonged life that every mortals could only dream of. But sooner or later, they would perish. Since nothing could escape the passage of time

"-it can be destroyed, or removed. That's why it had to find a new holder seventeen years ago"

Kuroba couldn't be the first, or the only vessel of the gem. No. There must be other vessels that Pandora used to acquire, considering the tale. Then it meant, there had to be some means to detach Pandora from the thief.

Akako released a breath as she waited for the confirmation, telling herself that the sole purpose she seek out Pandora was to make it hers. Not for anyone else

"Human shouldn't tamper with such cursed thing" The daemon shook his head, made a disgusted sound as the name of the gem rolled out of his tongue. But who was he to judge? "Everything Pandora sets its eyes on ended up broken. Yet they seek it like moths draw to flame."

The witch tapped her feet on the ground, folded her hands on her chest. A clear display of annoyance and impatience made the daemon grinned as its astral presence inhaled the moldy air in the basement, inspected the faint light shining through the tarnished windows.

Moonlight. It hummed. Trust the human to think they _only_ needed moonlight to recognize the seraph.

_Halt, frozen in time_

"Kill him." The demon ordered "Kill the vessel."

It rested long enough.

 

* * *

 

Kuroba Kaito came to school with less enthusiasm than usual, an annoyed Aoko right behind him. Hakuba scrutinized him, eyes glued on the other's frame even though Kuroba defied meeting his gaze, couldn’t help but notice the subtle stiffness with the way the boy moved. Kuroba's grin didn’t quite reach his eyes as he got in a playful quarrel with Aoko, the Inspector’s daughter. But the smile had never been real, why should Hakuba be surprised?

The blond mused over his book, reminisced those few days he transferred to Japan and stepping his feet in this class. Kuroba had been tense the whole time, at that time he dismissed the troublemaker, speculating that Kuroba was wary of his intention to his crush, who later turned out to just be Kuroba's neighbor and childhood friend.

When he pulled all night going through the high school database to find Kid's true identity and Kuroba name appeared, he was intrigued. The jigsaw puzzle started to make sense, presenting him with more pieces to engage his inquisitive mind.

Kaitou Kid was always on guard. So the pattern he received yesterday was nothing like his usual self as all, like an entirely new piece appeared and threw his thinking out of the loop.

After Kaitou Kid’s disappearance, he and Conan checked the surrounding ground immediately, half-expected it being a trick the thief pulled and prepared to find nothing of value. After all, Kid was unpredictable, thus a trick needed time to decipher.

Instead, they found broken branches and scattered leaves. Scarlet droplets remained on the ground, like trail of a wounded animal, encouraging the hunters to follow only to disappear midway. The small child next to him was alarmed, glancing left and right in frantic. The boy had looked so lost, like he was taken back by the sudden act, that Hakuba almost offered the boy to check on the thief with him, before remembering that Edogawa didn't know Kuroba's existence at all, let alone the boy's intention with knowing Kid's true identity.

Reassuring the small child and sending him back to Mori Kogoro, he came over to Kuroba household. The male avoided hospitals like plague. And he didn't want him to die. But through his car's tinted windows, he could see the indoor light was off from afar.The knob was locked, no surprise. And there was no response when he pounded on the door or rang the doorbell.   
  
Baaya inquired him what had gone wrong at the heist, to which Hakuba caught himself before blurting out 'everything'  
  
So far, there hadn't been anything happened lately, he could even recall Kuroba's smug smile just last week. What could happen within such short span...  
  


* * *

 

Kuroba vanished in the break time. Hakuba excused himself out of class and stepped on the stairs that lead to the rooftop. He hesitated for a moment, before reaching for the door. 

* * *

 

Dangling his legs in the air, Kaito balanced himself on the cold metal fence as he contemplated what would Pandora do if he chose this moment to jump down. There weren’t any trees to delay his fall, or anything, in that regards. He doubted Pandora could do anything about it.

He had been rash and irrational. Keep acting on impulse like this and it was truly a miracle that he escaped his detectives' clutches. How could one exactly destroy an immortal gem that turned out to be himself? He should’ve given it more thought before he chose to jump through the glass windows. But he was distracted with the realization and dying to test the theory. Kuroba felt his injuries itching under the careful wrapped gauze from Jii-san, screaming to be taken care of. He gave his body no time to rest, though he noticed the considerable amount of healing his body received despite his negligence.

Running his hand through his messy hair, he sighed in exasperation 

"Are you out of your mind?!" Someone growled behind him. And he found himself being restrained, a little dazed from recognizing the familiar voice.

So this was Pandora's solution. Clever gem.

He had decided. He hated this gem.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, looking straight into Hakuba’s irritated eyes. "My, my. Are you stalking me, Hakuba?"

Hakuba opened his mouth, looked like he was ready to shout at him, only to close again. Suddenly, he reached forward and yanked Kuroba's uniform up, giving him no time to react as the British detective stared grimly at the bandaged, bruising body.   
  
Fuck


	3. Chapter 3

 

_“If I can not bend the will of Heaven, I shall move Hell.”_

 

* * *

 

"This isn't what you are thinking" Kaito fought back the urge to slap his forehead. Of course it was the most obvious answer ever, so he smacked away the bastard's hand instead.

"Then do tell. What is this?" Hakuba, always the calm one, replied

“There's nothing to explain! It isn't **your** business” It came out as a snarl. Surely getting defensive wasn’t the appropriate way to respond, but damn if he cared. Hakuba just yanked his shirt up, like what the fuck? Pervert.

“It’s my business if my _friend_ does something reckless” With a look that screamed of ‘Are you stupid for real?’, Hakuba retorted back

“Friend? Since when we’re _friends_?” Kuroba forced out a laugh, cutting the other off. The blond took a step back, clearly didn't expect the response. Kaito didn't understand the peculiar emotions that Hakuba managed to pull off right now, those didn't really suit his ever cynical know-it-all face.  Guilt emerging like butterflies in his stomach, Kuroba realized how much of an asshole he was.

But come on. As if he forgot the blond’s objective. The detective was bent on capturing Kaitou Kid, his alter ego. Friends don’t want each other in jail.

A puzzle. That all he was. An entertainment for those darn detectives to enjoy and be tossed away once they found out the solution. And then what? Rotting in jail while his so-called friend patted himself on the head and going home to pour a cup of tea?

Haha, no thank you. And he knew, understood how all these worked. They weren’t friends, nor foes either, just people on different side of the law. Like the unusual relationship that he had going on with Meitantei, they might help and look out for each other sometimes, because at the times, the detectives didn't have better alternatives than him. So it became the one time deal. In the end, it wasn't like he didn't exploit the relationship either, which made they even.

“Those wounds are serious-“

“What wounds?”

“And require medical treatment immediately”

“I’m fine. Fine"

“Do you plan on getting yourself killed?” Hakuba was starting to get impatient. And Kaito knew he was a pain in the arse to deal with. But hell no. So he made himself as insufferable as possible

"Why do you care anyway?" Because hello, not friends here.

“Fine. Like we need a second Nightmare” His attitude must have done the trick, since it made Hakuba growled with frustration, before he widened his eyes and brought his hand to his mouth.

“I-It...Gosh-I’m sorry. I don't mean that”

Too late. The name hit Kaito on the face, twist his gut like daggers.

“Sod off” Kaito shoved the blond aside. Hakuba had never seen the trouble maker this angry. "I didn't want to see you anymore"

* * *

 

It occurred to him that the wet feeling on his cheeks were rain drops. Or on his hair, his clothing, everything, on that matter. In the haste of skipping class and walking back to his house, he forgot his umbrella back at his locker. His brain nagged him that his school notes and books would be an unrecognized glob that would take forever to separate the following days, not to mention his homework for the weekend. Thus his drenched wounds itched like hell, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to care.

 

* * *

 

“Throw them away!" He clenched his teeth, tightening his hold on the man’s arm. Just a little bit more. 

"Throw the earrings and give your hands to me" He commanded, could even feel the man’s hesitation and hopelessness. He could even feel his glove slipping slowly, cursing his damp, weak hand.

“I can’t...This is Kenta's only chance...for surgery..!"

He should have tried harder. He should. Convince the man that his life was on the line. Convince that the earring wasn't worth it. Convince him that everyone, especially Kenta, deserve to have a dad. And despite Jack Connery was an infamous two-faced criminal that every thief scared and police officer loathed, he was still the world's greatest dad to Kenta and that counted.

The older man widened his eyes.

And he couldn't

_He couldn't _he couldn't_ _he couldn't_ _.__

Kuroba shot up from the bed, letting out an ugly distressing sound. It took a full 5 minutes for him to get the grasp on the reality. His back and palms were damp with sweat.

The rain didn’t stop. The soft, constant sound of rain drops tapping on the dark glass soothed him, until it didn’t

* * *

 

He could get away if they found him. Snake, the syndicate, police, FBI, anyone. He could vanish if the situation called for it. Poof. Simple as that.

His parents were criminals. They prepared things beforehand for the worst scenerios. Stuffs like fake ID, bank saving and faux passports stashed away, hidden in a small secret drawer in mom's bedroom. He could run away. He was prepared from the first time he decided to take up Kid’s mantle.

Aoko couldn’t disappear.

Inspector Nakamori wouldn’t.

They wouldn’t understand either. Wouldn't understand how he kept on troubling the police and the inspector, how he kept sticking his nose in those unrelevant crimes. Selfish of him to assume everything would be fine, just to protect his mind from breaking down.

He laughed.

And he must had laughed too hard because tears streamed down his cheeks for the first time in years. It felt salty and there was something invisible stuck in his throat. And he couldn’t, couldn’t breathe for the life of him. It was ridiculous and utterly pathetic. Truly inane how people cry when they laugh.

Finally, he managed to get some air, and another. And another. Everything started to clear while he listened to the rain starting to stop.

Hand swiping at his damp face, Kaito pulled the blanket tighten around him, bothered by the cold, empty space that he called home.

 “...Dad”

He sniffed. The portrait of his dad looked down at him with such serene, encouraging smile. The smile that he hold onto for years with the faint hope that everything would be okay. In the end.

 “I’m..I-” He whispered, swallowed back the sob in his throat “.. just wish you were still here”

"Please, _please_. I just..don't know what to do" He mumbled. His eyes are tired and he didn’t have enough strength to move. Eventually, everything started to fade to black.

 

* * *

 

He had never been more _aware_.

The figure in white stood in silence, observed the tired lump in the bed. His bright eyes shone behind the monocle, red like ruby with depth like the sea. His untidy black hair was hidden by the white hat.

He took a slow, small step forward. Thus another step. And another step. Until his leg touched the bed wooden frame where one Kaito Kuroba rested.

He brought his hand near the mop of hair visible from the blanket, for a few seconds, the figure seemed to be lost in thought. His gloved hand moved to rub the male's hair, yet only phased through the flesh, intangible.

“I’m sorry” The figure whispered, pulled down his top hat. And disappeared

 

* * *

 

“You’re awake” The male widen his eyes in disbelief, out of breath. He came as soon as he felt the sensation. But there was a difference between knowing and actually seeing it.

The infamous Kaitou Kid. Albeit, not quite the same one.

“Last I am aware of, yes” The entity in white suit and top hat smiled wryly, standing on the rooftop. He raised his finger to his lips "Shhh, the kid just went back to sleeping downstairs-"

The figure marched up to him, and pulled him into an embrace.

“It has been so long” He whispered into the other’s neck “Pandora”  
  
How long had it been since they last met like this? Twenty years? Just only eighteen years? For them, time supposed to work differently compared to human. Yet eighteen years seemed like eternity.

He felt Pandora tightening his hold and sighed.

“I’m still not used to it”

“Living?”

“Not being with you”  Pandora's lips brushed his, seeking closure and warmth. Like every time Pandora woke up, he would always be the first one to greet his love.

"Cheer. I'm here with you now"  He hold Pandora's hand, inhaling the sweet scent.

“How’s the kid?” He asked in lieu of what happened, dread filled in his voice. Last time Pandora woke up, everything had gone downhills, and I shit you not, fast.

“Not good” Then, a beat “He tried to commit suicide. He did not react well to find out about Pandora”

“Damn. And I thought mine had it bad”

"His father entrusted him to me.... I... brought bad luck"

“Ehem. Bad luck here. And think again Sherlock, these reckless youngsters will die without our assistance." He rolled his eyes, pointing his finger at himself. It wasn't their fault the kid ran headfirst into trouble like moth to flame. Damn vessels. Pot, kettle. They were children for god’s sake. .

“Gluttony..."  Pandora's tone wasn't pleased, but he seemed to be out of that gloomy mood. Good  
  
"What? Plus, my vessel didn't risk turning into a first grader for yours to die of fever tomorrow. We already passed the Medieval era" Gluttony complained "They are both stupid. When you see something fishy, run the fuck away. Not run into them. I can't believe I choose for us these stubborn stupid kids. Me!"

"...."

“And I see you chose to take after the phantom thief's appearance? How unoriginal of you"

Having no gender nor mien, Pandora could take on any shape it desire. In one way, they were the same in that aspect. Choosing something familiar to their host was, in a sense, more convenient for them to materialize.

"You still have your weird sense of fashion" Pandora raised his eyebrows, taking in the black knight’s clothes and the helmet on the other’s hand. In the 21st century.. Thank all the deities that human couldn't see them.

"It reminded me of medieval time” The demon doubted Pandora knew that play, considering it took place at his vessel’s school. "Good time."

 “Well, at least you don’t have a myth which caused people to hunt you down. And give you a fancy name” Pandora flickered his finger "Must be my demeanor"

“Fancy name?” The male laughed “Don’t you know? I have one already.”

He kissed Pandora again, but the dangerous  glint in his eyes told tale “It’s _shinigami_ ”

Shinigami. The God of Death.  Death followed him everywhere he went, like magnet towards the inevitable.

"I remember your name" Pandora smiled, lips opened to try pronounce the playful words "Me-tan-tei"

The nickname came out slow and lack its usual sing-song tone, but Shinichi's lookalike merely chuckled back "That will do"

“They know”

“Who?”

“Your kind. They know who I was all along”

“They won’t interfere. It’s not their fight.” Gluttony dismissed it with ease. Yet Pandora continued on “They tried to capture me”

“My kind?” Gluttony frowned

“The human”

“Three generations and they still didn’t let you go huh?” Funny, and he thought only demons hold grudges

“Well...”

“Just so you know, I won’t either” Gluttony declared “I won’t let them lay their hand on you. Ever”

“....”

"I'll protect you. Just go back to sleep" Seeing that his lover was still quiet, the black knight leaned in, placed his lips gentle on Pandora's eyelid.

"I can't"

"Pretty please? I won't responsible for another time flow inconsistency" Considering how much Valentine and Christmas had passed and those children were still in the same old grade yet nobody batted an eye, it probably happened already. Dang it Pan.

Okay so maybe he was responsible. But who care? He would get Pandora to fix it. Later. One day. After his host got his former form back. See? He was a considerate demon.

 "I really can't. There's just something, or someone..." Pandora bit his lips, remember the nagging sensation tugging at him, remember waking after the deep slumber, just to see the reflection of himself through the vessel's panicked eyes. "...Nevermind. I will try"

“That's my love. ” Pulling the other in for a kiss, Gluttony complained "I’m hungry"

“You always do, Gluttony”

“I'll feed tomorrow” As always, he could feel Pandora tense in his arms, like the other was a vegan and Gluttony just chopped pork meat in front of him. Except Pandora was from heaven and Gluttony was basically telling him that the next following day he would witness somebody got killed with glee. Should have getting used to that. Even his vessel got used to people dropping dead in front of him all the time.

"At least it isn't my doing this time" With a final laugh, Gluttony disappeared

 

* * *

 

 

“Baka, you sleeping in?” A cheerful sound woke him up. After the vibrating sound, of course. Even with his eyes closed, Kuroba could still recognize that voice over anything else. It hurt to think. And his head throbbed in time with his racing heart. But a white-toothed grin still found its way to his face when he heard his best friend's voice.

“As if I’m you, Ahoko” He laughed as Aoko huffed on the other side. "What?"

“Aoko will go to Akako’s house. Yesterday she fainted in middle of Math class.” Aoko told him “She didn’t look so good.”

“Well duh. She fainted. Of course she will look like you drinking that expired strawberry milk in fifth grade” An amused Kaito brought the phone as far his eardrums as possible without leaving his comfy bed, and true enough, there was a loud, panicked yell followed right after

“Yah!!! You promised never bring that up again!!”

“Bleh” He closed his eyes when the white spots started to appear over his vision. Not a very good sign. Everything was hot. Was he draped himself with too much blankets yesterday?

"Aoko will have her revenge. Just you wait." Aoko solemnly swore, which Kaito dismissed as a futile promise. "Do you want to go over to visit Akako?"  
  
"What?! Why should I visit that witch?" Who knew what could she do with all the witchcraft that she had. One time was enough, really. And he didn't exactly in the mood for earning pity glance from her.  
  
"Bakaito!! Akako's not a witch!"  
  
"Whatever. I'm sleeping in."  Kaito announced, hiding a groan. He waited for Aoko to stick out her tongue at him with a blehh sound, before cutting the call. With a relieved sigh, he closed his eyes. There was a sound of the phone dropping onto the ground as his head became heavier.  
  
Finally  
  
Sweet silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for my lack of update. Just got back from my summer holiday. Hope you guys doing well. And I hope the chapter didn't confuse you guys too much. I tried to make it as clear as possible but it still felt like muddle T_T If you guys read the chapter and didn't understand, here it the explanation 
> 
> Basically, Kaito Kuroba is Pandora's vessel and Pandora appeared in Kaitou Kid's form (easier to distinguish, since their face is the same..). Not only so, Shinichi Kudo, aka Conan, is also a demon's vessel, named Gluttony. Gluttony feed on human's soul, which explained why Conan was death-magnet all the time. Gluttony appeared in Black Knight's form (taken from the The Third Choice and The Black Knight, also, easier to distinguish). Pandora was the thing affected the time flow in this DCMK universe. 
> 
> Stay tune T_T


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

“It isn’t wrong, you know. Loving yourself, wanting to be alive- it's not wrong”

* * *

 

He dreamed of white.

Hollow vastness surrounded him for as long as the sand of time itself, blinding his eyes with its pure light. There was no darkness besides his lone shadow. The deafening sound of silence messed with his mind. And even though he tried to scream, his voice failed to reach his ears, left him in ceaseless misery.

Feathery weight leaned on his slumped shoulder, soft and fluttering every time he shifted his body. Golden chains draped around him, restrained his hands and legs and connected to the sky above. Whenever he struggled, the never-ending bonds tighten on his skin, hauling his arms on top of his head.

Confusion emerged, panic aroused. He yanked, he pulled, he wrenched. But the chain was just too thick, too strong. There was this nagging feeling of loneliness and helplessness as he fought. Knowing that he couldn’t escape. Never.

He was destined to be forgotten

Trapped.

And at that moment, after the fire deep inside him long been extinguished, he heard the most beautiful sound ever.

A black feather chimed as it drifted down, seemingly to come out of thin air. Had his mind played trick on him, to cruelly give him such a false hope to cling to? He couldn't hear even his breathing, couldn't smell anything, unable to speak, let alone this. It couldn't be real. After all, this was-

Its mellow sound tinkling in his ears, soothing him as his tired eyes followed its delicate movement. The sensation was nice, and he yearned for more. It seemed to wait for something. He didn't recall seeing anything like it before, but somehow, he knew what it wanted.

With a distressed whine, he reached toward.

And the world shattered around him.

* * *

 

He came awake and laid there. The familiar sight of his bedroom's beige ceiling greeted him as he stared.

There. Ceiling.

In the dream there was no ceiling, just the chains connected to the endless sky. It was funny how you realized how illogical and silly dreams were only after you woke up. It was a n- no, bad dream, although it felt nice at the end. What was he dream about though?

Nodding to himself, Kaito sat up, causing the towel to fall down on his lap. Blinking, he picked it up. The cloth was warm in his hand and he unconsciously touched his forehead. Someone had put a wet towel on him. He looked around. His bedroom looked...tidy. His phone placed neatly on the desk. His rain drenched uniform was nowhere in sight. Furthermore, someone clearly took the time to clean up the mess he made with his desk and wardrobe. The sweet smell of chicken soup lingered in the air made his belly let out a demanding growl.

Was it..? But she was in Las Vegas. But then, it must be her.

“M-Mom?” He called out, his dry throat hurt and voice cracked.

His mom was back. And he didn’t even look half decent. She probably came home to check on him, and seeing him bedridden in his room and making chicken potato soup downstairs. Kaito forgot to buy groceries though, so his mom would scold him about his near-empty refrigerator. He sulked. He wasn't a child. It was embarrassing how he declared loudly that he didn't need his mother's help and then pathetically feverish on the bed when she arrived home. She always had that bad habit of not telling him whenever she went back. He couldn't wait to tell her about this stupid situation about Pandora. She was Phantom Lady after all. His mother would figure out something.

"Young Master, how are you feeling?"

The moment Kaito saw Jii, his mind turned blank and he gave Jii a smile.

_Ah, figured._

* * *

 

He feared for the worst when he rang the bell and there was no response. Konosuke Jii was nothing but worried for his young master’s well-being. After digging awhile through his clothes, he fished out a small key from his pocket. With his young master being Kaitou Kid, thing was bound to be wild. In case the situation got out of hand, Kaito had given him the spare key for him to access Kid's hidden lair.

Young master had been gravely injured in the night before yesterday. The last heist had required breaking in and out swiftly as possible. So there was no need for his assistance besides picking up.

It had scared him when the youth dragged himself to his car in their meeting spot, covered in scratches and dirt even though the child already changed out Kid white suit. Further observation showed that there were also cuts from the glass shards.

Kaito had dismissed it that he had to jump out of the windows after being cornered by the task force. In the end, the mission completed, with the gem being tucked safely in the Inspector’s pocket. With enough luck, hopefully the Inspector would find down and terrorize everyone in the task force with questions and examinations before expanding search area.

Jii had insisted they went to his house instead. Kuroba household had enough medical aid, but the old man knew what excuse the child would use to send him home. And he cared for the child too much to turn a blind eye again.

Having ordered Kaito to strip off the jean and black shirt, he was mortified because of the bruises and scratches. Those things happened more than once, and it pained him to see the bright child in this state. There was no sight of the soccer ball's mark. Thank god. He knew about the small detective boy, cue the disturbing title ‘KID killer’. Kaito had been reluctant to tell him about the small boy, and he knew that Kaito had long grown respect and even fondness of the brilliant boy. But being kicked by soccer ball with that much strong force could cause fracture bones. The body hadn’t been meant to take that impact. And Kaito had been hit more than one. That Edogawa boy didn’t seem to care though.

Jii sighed as he began to work on the wounds. He understood the boy only did it to prevent Kaito from stealing and escaping. Kaitou Kid was a thief and needed to be stopped and captured, as the Task Force raged. And as time went on, the two of them had worked together occasionally, but he couldn't shake the heavy feeling in his gut.

Like the time the boy asked them to help in exchanging to not revealing his identity and not even slightest mention about a bomb. He felt like he lost years of his shorten remaining lifespan that day when the train wagon exploded with Kaito in them.

Like every time a bruise in the form of a hexagon mark appeared on Kaito's torso, or Aoko's concerned words about how Kaito always became troubled and twitchy whenever he walked within the soccer field.

Out of all the persons after Kaitou Kid, the Edogawa boy seemed like the one who could actually unmask the phantom thief. The 'KID killer' boy could likely to be the death of KID one day... He didn't really understand Kaito's fascination towards 'detectives' and risking his life for them, to be honest. His child was too... naive at times, for lack of better words

The fall had been intentional, so Kaito did his best to prevent the injures, and he had a high pain tolerance, which was upsetting but necessary, but the damage was still devastated to look at. The child's hands were red and bleeding, he likely gripped on branches to delay his fall, straining his hand. His right ankle was swollen ('Mild sprain' He told himself)

His stomach was in a miserable state. Blood pooled around the injury, causing it to turned a horrid purple. Kaito told him that he slammed his body again the tree, with such a casual tone that it broke his elder heart as he wrapped the small torso with white gauze. Aside from the soft tissue, Kaito didn't seem to have anything worse. He was just glad that the child didn't have any fracture bones this time. Those required splinting and days to heal, if not weeks. And Kaito getting more and more anxious whenever he went to school with casts

He was a medic, not a magician. An assistant, not a performer. That was why he knew as more heists went on, Kaito started to tell him less and less, and disinclined to go to him for medical treatment. The child had been afraid of bothering him. It was such a silly thought that he wanted to shake his head in disbelief, but such a typical teenager's thinking for Kaito to have.

He didn't regret the day he dressed up as Kaitou Kid and let Kaito found out about the Kuroba household's secret, although he was reluctance when young master pick up Kid's mantle. But he learned the reason behind his Master's death. His Master's legacy was continued and people loved seeing the famous Phantom Thief. And on top of this all, he had the chance to meet Kaito frequently. The child was like a grandson to him, and no matter what Kaito did, he would be in his side and support him.

Although, the best he could do at the time being was wait, and take care of the child. His dear child.

 

* * *

The room was a hazard when he stepped in and found the sick boy on the bed. His skin scorching to his touch. Wet shirt and pant were scattered on the floor, the familiar school outfit caught his eyes first. The wardrobe wide opened, like it been rummaged through by a bear. The school bag was dumped mercilessly near the bed and the content of it scattered on the desk, rain stained and pitiful.

It fretted him. Young master was a teenager, yes, but became meticulous as days passed, since thievery required perfect precision. Or maybe it was a habit from cleaning the crime scene, but the boy always left the room tidy. Whatever prompted him to turn his bedroom upside down wasn’t right, even with taking fever into consideration.

He tucked Kaito in and draped his forehead with a wet towel, and started to clean the bedroom afterwards.

The accident was just a day before yesterday, so his body was still recovering. Cold temperature weakened the immune system, so the rain must be the trigger for his fever. It was in the midst of cleaning the kitchen that he heard the boy calling out

"M-mom?!"

After just one mustered word, he was instantly in front of the young master's bedroom, carrying a tray of soup. A small thermometer laid on top of the napkin.

"Young master, how are you feeling?" Jii ignored the way the boy's eyes dimmed with a kind smile. Madame Chikage was in Las Vegas, and wasn't likely to be informed of Kid's recent misfortune through the news.

“Thank you, Jii-chan" Kaito grinned back, holding the tray "I told you, please just call me Kaito. But-what happened? You're-"

"I come over to check on you, it seems like my intuition is correct" His brow furrowed "I was so worried about you"

Kaito squirmed under his gaze and turned back his focus on the soup in his lap. Jii's heart ached seeing Kaito uncomfortable of the affection towards himself.

"Wait, open your mouth first. We need to take your temperature, then you can eat."

Kaito pouted, his stomach itching to disagree, but he opened his mouth. Switching on the digital thermometer, Jii placed the tip under the child's tongue and waited

"39 degrees" He read the number, frowning. "I will bring some Tylenol for you"

"I think I ran out of it last month? Last Christmas?" Kaito pondered, already shoving the spoon in his mouth. "It's not like I usually get sick"

Idiots didn't get sick, Kaito and Aoko always teased each other like that. Both of them weren't idiots, but careless enough to get sick. Well, youth.

"I'll go grab some. Do you need anything else?" He replied kindly as the door bell rang "It's must been miss Nakamori. I'll get her"

Kaito nodded his head and Jii went downstairs. The old man was secretly glad that the girl coming over as Aoko was a nice girl. She could keep Kaito company, and they were close and care for each other. So if she found out Kaito was sick, she probably know what to help comforting the boy.

Jii opened the door, expected to see Aoko's happy face. Instead, the old male found himself looked into the surprised eyes of a tall, young male. His body tensed

Detective. Superintendent’s son. Kaito's classmate

Hakuba Saguru.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Also, Jii-san wasn't pleased xD
> 
> Originally, this chap supposed to be longer and featured Akako and Conan and also Hakuba T-T But their parts need more editing though so I'll leave it for the next chapter. But I had it all planned out though, so it will be up in two or three days. XD *Feeling very productive*


	5. Chapter 5

 

 Hakuba stood in front of Kuroba’s house, awkwardly holding a fruit basket in one hand. Baaya had insisted that he brought it as gift, a courtesy his mother did whenever they visited his parents’ acquaintance. His mind supplied for him that it would be too formal for Kuroba’s liking.

 Albeit Baaya was his driver, which meant she would make sure to deliver him to Kuroba’s house along with the fruit basket, and waited till he knocked the door so he wouldn’t throw it away without her knowing. Not that he would waste edible food, but she could be... persistent at times when it came to such trivial matter like friends. After he shared the conversation he had with the thief the day before, she had talked him into apologizing, with utmost gentleness, and assured him that it was normal to make a mistake once in a while. The wise thing was to correct it.

 Easier said than done.

 It was embarrassing to be here, but called for. Yesterday he had been a... jerk to Kuroba. Addressing the term to himself made him uncomfortable, but nothing compared to the concern he had for the injuries on the male, to say the least. At least he had the audacity to say sorry and check in on the thief. All things considered, he continued to stare at the ring bell, wishing his classmate took mercy on him and open the door first. Did he really have to do this? The earth should just better off shallow him whole. He struggled arranging the words in his mind one final time, before pressing the door bell.

 He waited for Kuroba to open the door, or with luck, maybe Aoko. The thief had a soft spot for her, and would less likely to kick him out before he swallowed his pride and made an apologize.

 “Aoko-san! Y-” An old man opened the door, surprise appeared on his face as he did a double take. "May I help you?"

 Hakuba narrowed his eyes, but switching to his ever polite expression in a flash.

 "Good morning. Is Kaito Kuroba home?"

 He knew for a fact that Kaito didn't have any grandparents. His father passed away years ago, and his mother was in the United States. There wasn’t supposed to have anyone in the household beside Kuroba himself. So who was this man? Where was Kaito?

 The man seemed to be in his sixties, if his guess didn’t fail him. Dark blue suit and a grey trouser didn’t seem to be anything out of ordinary. Rolled-up sleeves indicated that he might in the middle of something and didn't want to get his suit dirty. There was something familiar about him, reminding Hakuba that he had seen him before. The elder even knew Aoko.

 "Ah yes, but he came down with a fever this morning" The man frowned, scrutinizing him back "So I'm afraid that he isn't available at the moment"

Fever? Kuroba got sick? Was it because of the rain yesterday? Was it because of... him and what he said? 

"W-wait. Can I see him?" He gripped his hand on the door, his body tensed "I have something very important to tell him"

 "You can tell him at school in Monday. I'm sure it can wait"

 "Please. I-We had a quarrel yesterday and I want to...tell him that I'm sorry"  He chewed his lips, but the old man didn't ask him what happened. He didn't like the thought of letting Kaito alone with the presence of another stranger. With the other's nightly activities, Kuroba was bound to have people after his life. What if the old man wasn't what he appeared to be?

 "Alright, but he's very sick." The elder cleared his throat after awhile, reluctant, but his firm voice held no room for objection. "If you make him uncomfortable, I **will** ask you to leave"

 

* * *

 Kuroba responded to his greetings was an attempt to cough up a lung.

 "You have an infection" 

 "I have a fever" Kaito retorted, crossing his arms. His tone sharpening "Why are you here?"

 The elder - Jii-chan, as Kuroba addressed him - wasn't lying. Kuroba looked miserable. Cold sweat glistened his forehead, the thief sat on the bed, the beige blanket over his lap doing a poor job of covering his newly bandaged hands (Hakuba didn’t even need to guess who helped him). Even when he glared, his glassy eyes and feverish flushed cheeks ruined the desired effect of showing annoyance, resembling of a furious baby bird instead, which was kind of cute... and totally not relevant to what he should been here for. 

 "About yesterday, I truly, truly sorry. I was being an arse" Hakuba looked down, ignoring the gasp from the other boy at the cuss word. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, I understand that you want nothing to do with me and I want you to know that I regret what I had said. I hope that you forgive me"

_Good job Saguru._ Hakuba cussed himself. _Sound like a reprimanded child._ _Just peachy._

 At first, Kuroba said nothing, and Hakuba's first thought was looking up flight ticket to England to go back for a few days, more like weeks, out of embarrassment in case thing went sour. But then he heard...giggle. Then a full-blown laugh.

 "Is that gift basket? You really brought fruit basket for me? Pffffft" Kuroba covered his belly, his body shaking with laughter "Dude, are you an old man or is this some kinds of British people thing?"

 Hakuba blinked. He almost forgot about the gift existence, despite still holding it in his hand. Nice to know that Kuroba willing to put aside his heartfelt confession to laugh at the source of his embarrassment. Even he knew that no high schoolers would do that.

 “I can buy chocolate if you want” Hakuba offered. Aoko always complained about Kaito’s unhealthy love to sugary treats to everyone willing to listen “But fruit is good for curing sickness. So there’s that”

 “Not only a detective but seer as well. How versatile” Kuroba smirked, before waving it off “Yeah, I forgive you. It’s nothing anyway. I also..It's my f-You know what, forget it. You been an ass, I been an ass. So spare us the speech”

 He shrugged, uncomfortable, clearly not wanting to talk more about this. Hakuba didn’t make any comments about the slight puffy eyes. He had no desire to cause the other to snap at him nor make the situation more awkward than it already was.

 “So, do you want an apple? Mango?” He took a look over the plastic wrap, inspecting the content of his gift again. "I believe there are also peaches and grapes"

 Kuroba gave him a blank stare, and he resisted the urge to let out a sigh.

 "You have a fever, correct?" He reminded the other "You should stay hydrated and get enough nutrition.”

 “I know that. I’m not a child”

 “Yes, you’re not” Hakuba agreed “As adults know the importance of getting essential vitamins and antioxidants”

 “Okay okay, _mom_ "

 

* * *

As he walked outside the bedroom and to the hall, it registered to him that he was in Kuroba’s house for the first time. Everything was more... normal than he thought it would be, what with Kuroba being a magician and all. There was a bathroom and a toilet next to the bedroom, so it could come in handy in case Kuroba felt nauseous. Walking down the wooden stairs, he couldn’t help but notice other room in the other side of the hall. The door was closed, probably locked. And even though the hall was clean, there was a layer of dust on the doorknob. 

 Downstairs wasn’t better. The living room was tidy, too tidy in fact. It looked like nobody used it, let alone a teenager. Hakuba himself was lucky to have Baaya to clean up after him, though he long grew passed the state of leaving mess everywhere he went. But there were certain things that people would left around, like an empty mug sitting on the table, or a forgotten book that was abandoned in the midst of reading, or the pillows on the couch would be slightly flatten. None of them he could spot in Kuroba's living room, Even the books and magazines didn’t seem to be touched for a long period of time. 

 Maybe Kuroba was just, spending most time at Aoko’s house? They were close friends, and he knew based on their loud chatter that Kuroba regularly came over Nakamori household for dinner. So there was a possibility that Kuroba stayed in his bedroom most of the time when he was home and then crash at Aoko’s house.

 The kitchen at least appeared like someone just used it mere minutes ago. The pot on the stove no doubt contained warm soup, as the mouth-watering scent filled up the space. The counter was slightly wet, and from the look of it, someone just washed the tableware and left them to dry. 

 It must be the elder man Jii. The elder has left the house in a hurry when Kaito coughed violently with a promise of bringing medicine.

 The man seemed genuine cared for the thief, Hakuba thought as he unpacked the fruit and brought them to the sink, running water over them a few times. There must be a small knife somewhere.. ahhh, found it.

Jii was most likely the one who assisted Kaitou Kid in his heists. There were tricks that one simply couldn't preform without having any second help. The old man must be aware of Kid's true identity and what happened in the last heist to visit Kuroba today. He must also be the one who gave medical treatment to the thief from time to time.

 It was in a midst of peeling off the third apple when he heard the sound of glass shattering coming from upstairs, Hakuba dropped the apple back in the sink and rushed up the stairs, not wasting any time.

 “What’s the matter?!” Grabbing his hand on the door frame, he breathed as his eyes took in the sight of the mirror being tossed down to the wooden floor, broken shards scattered everywhere. "Shite, what the-?"

 “Can’t can’t can’t.. I can’t—!” Like a broken recorder, Kaito recoiled back, taking him by surprise as the boy seemed frustrated with himself. He watched as Kaito raised his hands up in the air, desperately tracing some intangible letters that he couldn't recognize. Something about the magician threw him off, something that he couldn't quite lay his fingers on yet, but he seemed different.

 “You can’t what? Kuroba what are you talking about?”

 “I need-I have to go somewhere" The male stood up, his body swaying as he tried to reach the door but ending up with a groan instead.

 “What are you bloody saying?! You’re sick. You can’t even walk straight.” Hakuba was immediately on his side "And careful of the glass!"

 “He needs me” “I-I have to-“

 “Who’s ‘him’? Please tell me what happened”

 “It doesn’t matter. Let me go. I don’t have enough time!”

 He never seen Kuroba this helpless. It threw him off when the other begged pitifully  “Please. Let me go”

 “Alright. Any place you want to. I’ll come with you” He said, using his hands to support the other’s weight. If he couldn’t stop Kuroba, the very least he could do was assist him. 

 “Thank you” He heard Kuroba said, so earnest that it threw him off, but he nodded

 “Where do you want to go?"

 Kaito opened his mouth, only to wince as his hands clutched at his head again, like he was battling a massive headace. With a small whine, his whole body went still, and Hakuba found himself full of the magician. As he stared at the unconscious male, he couldn't help but wonder.

 What just happened?

"Young master!" Hakuba froze when he heard a familiar voice exclaimed. Dreading, he looked up at the door, just to see Jii standing there, looking strangely lethal "Young man, what did you do?"

_Oh sod._

* * *

 "Aoko-chan dear, you're just too sweet" Akako let out a honeyed smile as she waved after Aoko. The innocent girl had been the one to take her home after the tiny accident at school, despite all the voluntary boys in the class.

 "Ughhh, and to think I'm this weak." After the girl out of the view, Akako let out a disdain hiss at her own state. "Pathetic"

 The deal she struck with the demon affected her more than she was willing to admit. She had fallen unconscious in class, in front of everybody no less. And after 15 minutes or so, she woke up in the school infirmary to find Aoko looked after her. The fierce girl had admitted with not even a tiny inch of remorse that she chase away dozens of male students with the cleaning mop when they tried to visit Akako.

 And even today, the blue girl came over and made a fuss about her well-being. Her butler was not amused. She also wasn't comfortable when Aoko opened all the windows in her gloomy manor and letting sunlight streaming through the house, but she tolerated because of the chocolate given to her by Kuroba's childhood friend. Take that Kaito Kuroba.

 "You should rest. Your body needs time to readjust to your current flow of energy." Her butler said in the afternoon.

 "We don't have much time" Akako said, pacing back and forth in the dungeon. "I can feel it. Its power. It's faint, but it's getting noticeable everyday"

 "Is it getting stronger?"

 "It's getting easier to trace." She skimped through every book in her bookshelf, finger tracing every cursive title on the leather books. Where was it? Where was that damn book "Pandora is chaotic in nature, but extremely powerful. I’m not the only one who wants it"

_That pathetic thief would be in danger_

 "Yes, it'll be problematic" The crooked old goblin said "We need to get to him first for you to possess Pandora"

 Her movement halted as the demon's order went through her mind. ' _Kill the vessel_ '

 "Ah, yes..."

 "You shouldn't be too soft." He sighed, recognizing the reluctance tone. Mortals made the child weak. "The magic in your blood is your family's legacy. It's your duty to make it stronger, not for messing with boys"

 "I know that"

 "You know what will happen if you are soft. And you know what _will_ happen if you stoop to the mortal's level. If killing off a human makes you more powerful, then so be it. The Mistress-"

 "Yes yes." Akako lowered her head. She caught sight of her spell book, wrapping in dust and cobweb and rushed to pick it up.

  _Kaito Kuroba, seem like you are not the only one needs to continue your family business_

 “But how can we kill someone that is protected by God’s blessing?“ Her butler said aloud.

 "Pandora can manipulate possibilities. And we know the results aren't pretty if some maniacs manage to take hold of the gem. Or my mother" Akako muttered the last part, her hand quickly turned pages after pages, looking for something "What's the chance of Kid being captured after being discovered and cornered by the police? Doubtful. But how about lower it to 0 instead just to be sure? What's the chance of Kaitou Kid survive after being shot? 33%? Make that 100%. To make it worse, what's the percentage of the civilization collapsed today? What's the chance of our world ending tomorrow?"

 The butler was quiet, but she knew that they were having the same thought.

 "It is slim. But it's still there. And once it exists, Pandora has the ability to make it become the reality."

 "So, that Kuroba boy is practically impossible to eliminate." Her butler stated in his curt voice, clearly unpleased.

 "In normal means, anyway"

 “In normal means?”

 “My dear servant, human might not stand a chance against him, but magic beings are another matter entirely. Its power can't directly affect other beings like us, or demons and angels” Her lips curled up "We're lucky that Pandora isn't even aware of its potential nor fully develop. Pandora has the power to wrap space and time itself. And yet it hides like a mouse"

  _God must have been furious after all._

 "But why, why gave it such a destructive power? The boy can put an end to our world if he feels like it, if he finds out"

 Kuroba wouldn't do that

 "I don't know"  She admitted. There was more to it, she sure. Albeit she was satisfied with the current information the demon gave her, for now. Like she didn't even need all of its power anyway. And she for sure didn't need Kaito Kuroba.

  _He wasn't worth it. He wasn't special anymore. She hated him. She pitied him._

_She'd rather have him for herself than letting others lay their paw on him._

 “But first, I had to get rid of that guy" She said as her finger traced the paper. The gust of wind rustled past her as she read aloud the spell and the magic circle appeared under her feet, red and sinister like blood.

  _Guardian. Traitor. Knight. Sinner._

 To the demons, he went by many names, but one thing was clear. She had to deal with him if she wanted to lay a finger on Pandora.

  

* * *

 

“Dad!” Ran chided when Kogoro let out a loud yawn “This is a formal event! We’re lucky that Haruka Setsushi invites us because she adores you.”

 “Yah, for that new film that release in Sunday. What’s the date?” Mori Kogoro rubbed his chin, racking to remember the information “Today is 13th. So Sunday is 15th? Yeah. 15th. Where's her anyway?”

 "I think the other guests mentioned about her son picking her up from the airport? She's just got back from France I think? Right Conan?"

 The said boy next to her was deep in his thought. His mind wandered back to the image of blood and broken branches. It made no sense.

 It wasn't like Kid at all.

 Last night, Kid was visibly sending out distressed signals throughout the heist, whether he knew it or not. Call it a hunch, but Conan was around Kid enough to know how the thief reacted when stuck in a tight spot, like the time when he had to kick his soccer ball to prevent Makoto from getting to the thief in Singapore. Whoever the thief was, he was no fighter and wouldn’t stand a chance against the tanned male in a physical match.

 They had expected something else when the light turned off, as the phantom thief always took time to gloat as he ticked off every police officers in the room. 

 Instead, everything had been swift, letting them little time to react as the screen monitors turned to black. The guards collapsed, snoring quietly as the thief cracked open the passcode to take the jewel and disappear.

 They had taken chase. And then, the thief jumped.

_The thief had jumped._

 It made no sense. The impossible height made no sense. The broken branches made no sense. The blood made no sense. Kid could have killed himself! 

 “What on Earth was he thinking?” He muttered.

 “Conan! Conan!"

 "H-huh! Yes Ran nee-chan?"

 "What's happened?" Ran lowered herself to look at him in concern. "Are you okay?"

 "I'm fine nee-chan!" Conan laughed it off “I just think about the homework teacher gave me”

 "It's Friday. You don’t have class tomorrow right?" Ran beamed at him, looking wonderful in her red swing dress. This event had taken place in a famous restaurant in the tall fancy building, thus required people to dress in suits and formal dresses.

 Conan dashed his gaze away. His eyes took notice of the big banner on the stage. The words “Apocalypse” and the name of the main star Haruka Setsushi printed in the bold and red, certainly eye-catching.

 Mori Kogoro received the invitation a week ago and had been over ecstatic. Haruka Setsushi was a well-known actress, capturing people with her beauty and talent. Despite being a married woman, she seemed to never age, still having her youthful look.

"You must be the famous Mori Kogoro" A middle-aged man came up to them, delighted "It's a pleasure meeting you here."  
  
Used to the ordeal, Kogoro just laughed as he scratched his head "It's nothing, nothing."   
  
"I'm Kyoji Setsushi. Head of Apolo's company, which owns this skyscraper" The man said as Kogoro gawked in shock  
  
Something was wrong. Conan thought, as he glanced around one more, feeling unease. His hair stood on end as a feeling of icy breeze went through him.  
  
"And Haruka's husband-"  
  
A loud scream made everyone stopped dead in their track.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing happened much in this chapter T_T But I promise the next chapter will be more interesting!
> 
> Stay tune T_T <3


End file.
